JP-U-H06-23955 discloses an example of a sheet conveying device in a related art. The sheet conveying device includes a conveying section and a discharge section. The conveying section conveys a sheet in a predetermined conveying direction. The discharge section forms a part of the conveying section. The discharge section discharges the sheet onto a stacking surface positioned on a downstream side of the discharge section in the conveying direction. The stacking surface extends in the conveying direction and a width direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. The stacking surface is configured to support the sheet, which is discharged by the discharge section, from below.
A first contact portion is provided on the stacking surface at a middle portion of the stacking surface in the width direction. An upper end of the first contact portion is positioned above the stacking surface and extends in the conveying direction. The upper end of the first contact portion is configured to come into contact with the sheet, which is discharged by the discharge section, from below.
In the sheet conveying device, when a sheet is discharged onto the stacking surface, a middle portion of the sheet in the width direction is raised by the upper end of the first contact portion that extends in the conveying direction. Accordingly, since the sheet is curved in an inverted U-shape in the cross-section thereof perpendicular to the conveying direction, the downward bending of the middle portion of the sheet in the width direction, which is caused by gravity, may be suppressed. That is, it is possible to make the sheet, which is placed on the stacking surface, to have stiffness by the first contact portion. In the sheet conveying device, a plurality of sheets are stably discharged and stacked onto the stacking surface in this way.